To obtain a rebate in traditional rebate systems, consumers may fill out a paper rebate form, cut out a product UPC symbol, and mail the form, the UPC symbol, and an original or copy of a receipt to a central clearinghouse. After several weeks or months of processing, a rebate check may be sent to qualifying consumers.
Conventional paper-based rebate fulfillment system have many disadvantages. Customers often do not receive their rebate checks until many billing cycles after the time of purchase. Additional delays include depositing and processing the rebate check, which is often a very small amount. Small mistakes such as failing to include an original copy (or photocopy) of a product receipt or postmarking the rebate submission a day after the deadline typically result in forfeiture of any rebate. Although retailers intend for consumers to make purchasing decisions based on the “effective” price of an item after rebate, tight budgets, time delays, and fulfillment uncertainty diminish the intended effect of the rebate incentive. Also, many consumers deem these time and administrate costs more hassle than they are worth, particularly for small rebates. In fact, for traditional paper-based systems offering rebates over $10, many consumers do not redeem rebates: 10% of consumers fail to submit rebate forms; 2-3% of submitted rebate forms are rejected or are otherwise invalid; and 3-5% of rebate checks are not cashed. In sum, around 15% of those eligible for rebates in excess of $10 do not redeem their value.
In addition, rebate providers also incur significant time and labor costs in administering the rebate award. Finally, although rebate submissions typically require proof of purchase and personal information, a separate submission is required for product registration. Because traditional rebates, product registration, warranties, and return policies often require the exact same items for fulfillment—e.g., original receipts and original product UPC codes—consumers often must choose between a rebate and warranty protection. Although copies of UPC codes and receipts are sometimes permitted, the process of obtaining copies is yet another hurdle in the rebate fulfillment process.
Other rebates may be issued as stored value cards. Although stored value cards may be issued as a rebate, stored value cards and accounts are typically purchased or otherwise funded directly by a consumer. For example, prepaid phone cards and debit cards enable users to preload value to an account associated with a card and account number, where the card and/or account number is usable to redeem the stored minutes or monetary value for long distance communication service or make purchases at merchant debit card terminals. Rebate-funded stored value cards include the Disney™ card issued by Bank One™, which allows users of a Disney™ credit card to earn “Disney dollars” as a rebate for purchases made using the credit card. Once the Disney™ credit cardholder earns enough Disney™ dollars, the cardholder is issued a Disney™ stored value card that stores the Disney™ dollars. The Disney™ dollars are usable at Disney™ locations for Disney™ products.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,189 discloses a system wherein credit cardholders earn a rebate on credit card purchases in the form of a stored value card issued to the cardholder. However, traditional methods of issuing a stored value card as a rebate require the user to have a pre-existing relationship with the issuer. Traditional methods also typically require the rebate-funded stored value card to be issued and/or activated independent of any consumer behavior, thereby adding uncertainty to the redemption process while adding additional time and administrative costs to all parties.
These and other drawbacks exist with current systems and methods.